


Ignoring Our Expiration Date

by Gemology



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Awkward Crush, Best Friends, Crushes, Developing Friendships, Duck - Freeform, Ducks, Episode: s01e05 Terror of the Terrafirmians!, F/F, Female Characters, Female Friendship, Films, First Crush, Friendship, Movie Night, Strong Female Characters, Teen Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 18:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15824487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemology/pseuds/Gemology
Summary: Lena invites Webby to a movie, and Webby accidentally brings guests. Things still work out.





	Ignoring Our Expiration Date

When Lena had invited Webby to a movie, she'd invited  _Webby_  to a movie. So as Webby showed up with her grandmother, Scrooge McDuck's nephews, and for some reason his driver, she was more than a little surprised.

"Oh, everyone is here," Lena smiled awkwardly. She pulled Webby aside and whispered, "What's up with the three amigos, Eleanor Rigby, and blunder crash?"

"They're here for the movie too!" Webbigail exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, when I asked if you wanted to see a movie, I kind of meant just me and you which is why I didn't mention anyone else," Lena jabbed a thumb in the direction of the others.

"Oh," Webby turned to look at the flock she'd brought with her, then back to Lena's unamused expression. "OH!" something seemed to dawn on Webby and her joyful expression turned to embarrassment. "I didn't think that it would be a problem. Huey, Dewey, and Louie just moved into the mansion and I'm still getting to know them and granny said she had to come because it was too late for me to be out alone and I'm not sure how Launchpad ended up here but sometimes he just tags along," Webby stopped to take a breath in the midst of her rambling. "I'm sorry," she entwined her fingers together nervously, "You don't have to stay."

Lena put her hand on Webby's shoulder reassuringly. "No. Look, it's fine. We can still sit together, right?"

"Right!" Webby's face lit up. "Come on!" she gestured for her friend to follow as the others headed inside.

The teen followed, her smile fading once Webby wasn't looking. This really wasn't what she had had in mind.  _There will be other movies_ , Lena thought to herself. She could survive one night with Webby's family and friends. Besides, hanging out with the rest of them might help her earn their trust.

Tickets and popcorn purchased, Lena started to lead Webby to their seats.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Beakley glanced to the seats in the middle of the theater where the boys had all settled in, already starting a popcorn food fight, and then to where Lena and Webby had paused in their climb up the stairs.

"We're going to sit way up top, in the back row!" her granddaughter pointed eagerly.

"Why don't you come down here with everyone else?" the elderly woman crossed her arms over her chest.

Lena mirrored Mrs. Beakley's pose, shooting back an arrogant rebuttal. "Because we want to eat our popcorn instead of making a mess for the theater employees and we want to be able to hear the movie without unnecessary commentary." It was obvious she was referring to the current actions of Huey, Dewey, Louie, and even Launchpad.

"Then let me sit with you," Bentina narrowed her eyes at Lena, both of them engaged in a silent confrontation as they sought to counter their opponent's next move.

"And leave Launchpad to keep an eye on Scrooge's nephews? Is that really the most responsible decision?" Lena pointed out.

Mrs. Beakley scowled and observed the antics of the boys. It was obvious she was the most responsible one here, and even though she didn't fully trust Lena, at least she was probably mature enough to behave herself. She could also be certain that Webbigail would keep her in line if she happened to be wrong.

Lena took her silence as an indication that her argument had worked and she was winning their unspoken duel. "It's not like we're going anywhere. We'll be in the back, so even if we did try to leave you'd see us," she continued her journey to the top most seats, Webby on her heels. "Which we're not going to do because we are actually here to watch a movie."

"Fine. But no funny business," Mrs. Beakley shook an accusatory finger in Lena's direction, which she ignored.

"You know I've never been to a real theater before!" Webby whispered during the movie trailers.

Her friend turned, disbelief written on her face. "You've  _never_  been to the theater?"

"Well, I've been to  _the_  theater, like the kind on a stage. And Scrooge has a home theater, but it's not quite the same," Webby admitted.

"Scrooge has a home theater?" Popcorn fell from Lena's lips as she tried to talk with her mouth full.

"Oh yeah. I could show you sometime. Maybe then we could redo the whole seeing a movie together thing," the younger duck chuckled, still trying to forget her mistake of inviting everyone else. She and Lena reached for the popcorn bucket at the same time, and their hands accidentally brushed against one another. Webby pulled hers back hurriedly, but Lena didn't seem to notice.

Lena was about to reply when she caught Mrs. Beakley glancing back at them. She decided to stuff another handful of popcorn in her face instead. The movie was starting anyway.

At some point they ran out of popcorn and the container ended up on the ground, which left both of their hands free. Lena was slouched in her seat, one arm on either armrest, hands dangling casually over the front.

Webby had hardly been paying attention to the film for the last 20 minutes, opting to turn her gaze back and forth from Lena's face to her unoccupied palm.  _Maybe I could hold her hand?_   Webby considered the prospect. She could feel her cheeks heating up at the very idea of such close contact, and was glad that the darkened cinema masked her bashfulness.

She decided to go for it. Carefully, Webbigail's hand crept closer, staying low so she could reach up from the shadows below and go unnoticed until the last second. Such an affectionate gesture required great strategy and precise movements.

At last, fingers intertwined with her own, and Webby waited with bated breath to see if Lena would pull away.

She didn't. Webby  _thought_  she saw Lena's eyes dart downward for a second, but in the dim light she couldn't be sure. She  _thought_  she felt Lena's grip tighten ever so slightly, but she couldn't be sure of that either. Did Lena even notice? Or was she too absorbed in the flick?

The two of them held hands until the movie concluded and the lights in the theater came up. As soon as they did, Lena pulled away quickly and stretched her arms over her head. Mrs. Beakley was already standing in the aisle waiting for them to come down, and seemed displeased that they- or at least Lena- were dawdling.

Lena rolled her eyes but got up and the two made their way down. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Queen Elizabeth," she retorted as she walked past.

Mrs. Beakley scoffed and was about to scold Lena when she heard a commotion and turned to see Huey, Dewey, and Louie trying to coax Launchpad up from where he was laying on the floor with his hands covering his head. When she looked back, Lena and Webby were both gone. She almost went after them, but further yelling from the boys prompted her to help them instead. She'd have to hope Lena, and especially Webby, wouldn't go far.

But there was no need for her to worry. The two girls waited in the lobby, chatting about the film they'd just seen and how unrealistic the effects looked. They were both laughing at one particularly ridiculous scene when Lena asked, "Did you get scared at all?"

"Please, I've faced real dangers with Scrooge McDuck. There's no way some movie could ever compare," Webby insisted.

"So why'd you hold my hand?" Lena queried.

"Ah! Um! Gah!" Webby stammered as her face turned beet red, and she looked in the direction of the theater they'd just come out of to make sure nobody they knew was coming. "I thought it might be nice!" she blurted out, just a little too loudly. Webby clasped her hands over her beak.

Now it was Lena's turn to glance in the direction Mrs. Beakley and the others would be coming from. "It was nice, Webby. I really like hanging out with you. More than I thought I would. And you don't have to be scared to hold my hand or anything. But if it's going to become a habit, you probably shouldn't tell your grandma."

"I like you, Lena. I really want granny to like you too. I know you've got the whole "rebel teen" thing going on and it's working for me, but I don't think it's working for my grandma. So if you could maybe try to be a little more polite to her, she might let you come around the mansion more often," Webby looked down at the floor and dug her foot into the ground. "I know it's a lot to ask but I want to keep going to movies with you and spending time with you and exploring Duckburg with you."

"For you, Webby? Anything," Lena ruffled Webby's hair. But she drew her hand back sharply as she saw Mrs. Beakley stepping out from the theater. She didn't want to blow things any more than she already had by sassing Webby's grandma just moments before.

Lena enjoyed the connection she and Webby had shared. But she was wary of growing too close, lest her relationship get in the way of Magica's plans. She would never do anything to hurt her new friend, but she couldn't guarantee that Magica wouldn't, especially if Webby got in the way. Lena internally reminded herself to keep Webby at arms length in the future. It would only hurt them both more when Webby finally learned the truth. And with the eclipse growing closer, it was only a matter of time before her dark past would be revealed. Earning her freedom would be a relief, but it wouldn't earn her Webby's forgiveness.


End file.
